Public View

04.20.144:04 AM ET

Prince George And The Easter Bunny

George's second public appearance in Sydney today went off without disaster

Easter Sunday tends to be something of a slow news day.

Would it be too cynical, therefore, to suggest that Prince George's second public appearance - at a Sydney zoo - was timed perfectly for maximum global press exposure, ensuring pictures of the future king will dominate the global online media today and the traditional print media tomorrow?

Chris Jackson

Well, whatever the calculations of the back room team at Kensington Palace, Prince George did his duty today when he performed a variety of gurgles, grunts and squeals for the camera at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

He delighted the press by showing a hint of baby-like petulance, throwing a toy he was given to the ground and chewing his way through a car sticker.

He even met with Australia's version of the Easter Bunny, a marsupial species called a bilby named George, and his parents officially opened on his behalf the Prince George Bilby Exhibit at the Sydney landmark.

The good news? George definitely liked the bilby.

In fact, he liked it so much that at one stage he attempted to climb in to its cage. The zoo, no doubt sensing a press opportunity the likes of which comes around only once every thousand lifetimes, were keen to encourage the bonding of George and George, but the royal parents at this stage stepped in.

Pool

"He"s trying to grab his ear," said Kate, 32, who was wearing a yellow broderie angalise dress last seen in the Solomon Islands in 2012, "He's got quite a strong grab actually," she said.

"If he gets it he'll never let go," said William, and kissed the top of his son's head.

After touring the enclosure, William and Kate unveiled a plaque that read: "A national gift from the Commonwealth Government to commemorate the birth of His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge."

Chris Jackson

The baby Prince interrupted Mr Kerr's speech with some enthusiastic squealing before gleefully taking a present from the zoo director, a stuffed toy bilby, and throwing it to the ground in amusement.

Chris Jackson

"He does love it, honestly," William said.

There was another gift too: a yellow car sticker that said "Wild child on board". George took it and tried to eat it.

"Munch, munch, munch," said William.

Paul Davies, the zookeeper who introduced the family to the bilby, told the Daily Telegraph: “Prince George was trying to grab the bilby’s tail and he was trying to grab its ear. I would have let him touch it but his parents had decided in advance it was best if he didn't. They didn’t think it would be fair to the bilby....The bilby was absolutely amazing, it behaved so well, and we don’t normally introduce bilbies to babies."

Cole Bennetts

With the zoo mission accomplished, the royal party left Sydney, landing a few hours later in the capital, Canberra, where George was once again pictured as the royals were greeted by local worthies on the tarmac.